Rising from the Pluff Mud of Divorce

Are you familiar with pluff mud? It’s a thick, gooey, dark mud with a distinct odor found in marsh areas of the Carolina low country. Pluff mud is why people build docks to get to the river.

Don’t take getting in pluff mud lightly–it wants to suck your shoes off. Get in too deep and you’ll struggle to get out.

This stinky goo of ground is full of organic matter both dead and alive. But even amid the death in pluff mud there is life. The decay found there makes fertile ground for new growth. Pluff mud hosts various creatures as well as the tall golden marsh grasses that frame beautiful coastal waterways.

Dealing with the spin-off of divorce can be like wading through pluff mud. In the mire are remnants of your past life. If you’re not careful you can sink lower and lower into the mire of divorce and feel stuck. Getting out of the pluff mud caused by divorce takes effort and prayer.

The beauty of it is that just like in the low country, alongside the mucky mud of divorce runs a beautiful river. A stream of life and hope born of God. Therein, we can find strength and faith to get our feet unstuck from the mire of the past. We can find hope of a better tomorrow.

Being a Christian doesn’t take away the truth that divorce changes your life in ways you didn’t ever expect or want. Being a Christian doesn’t keep you from feeling stuck in the muck at times. And feeling mired down over the realities of divorce is normal, at least for a while.

Being Christian does give us strength to make it through the pluff mud of divorce. When we are lost in the mire, a river of God’s love runs beside us to offer comfort and hope. When we feel knee deep in pain we need not be afraid for we can know God is close beside us. We know that God can even create new life in pluff mud.

Feeling stuck in the mud of divorce happens. When we can’t quite seem to pull ourselves out of the muck, God is still right there. Seek him and he will ease your struggle and move you to a place of healing. He will lead you to rest and renew your strength.

Trust the Lord, seek his direction, follow where he leads and he will in due time lift you out of the pluff mud of divorce and guide you to a new and glorious life in him.

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” Psalm 23:2-4

Has your faith helped you when you feel the pluff mud of divorce?

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